10 reasons we’re glad we went!

1. CROATIA MAY 2013 10 reasons we’re glad we went! Jo Bailey and Fran Webster – allegedly mature Children’s Nursing Students!

2. We’ve gained valuable experience working with children with learning disabilities and autism In our placements so far we’d had limited exposure working with children with learning disabilities and autism so it was really insightful to be able to spend so much time with them Planting at Slobostina – it was inspiring to see what the teachers at the school did with the children despite very limited resources

3. It increased our ability and confidence to deal with challenging situations Whilst a lot of what we saw was inspiring, some practices – such as some manual handling techniques - required us to speak out. The school value the opinion of visiting UWE students therefore it is important to find diplomatic ways to broach such issues A class in Slobostina – actually keeping the children in the classroom required considerable effort at times!

4. It was interesting to compare service provisions, both within Zagreb and with the UK This house at Mostari, set up by parents of adults with autism was amazing, but not all the community settings we visited were this positive. Zagreb society is much more accepting now of people with learning disabilities but we learnt that this is not necessarily the case with those suffering from mental health issues

5. It improved our ability to build relationships in a short space of time Despite the language barrier we were able to build good relationships with the children and teachers – it was incredibly difficult to say goodbye at the end of the week. Learning to emotionally disengage was hard! Beth and Joseph

6. It greatly improved our non verbal communication skills Due to our very limited amount of Croatian (!) we needed to focus on positive body language and facial expressions and the tone of our voice to enable us to communicate and build relationships with those we met

7. It helped us recognise the contribution we can make and the skills we have to offer Despite the language barrier we could still make a positive contribution in the time we were there through giving the children our time, care and attention

8. It was a good example of effective interprofessional working in practice! We got to spend a great deal of time with mental health and learning disabilities nurses. Their insights on communicating with the children and adults we came into contact with proved extremely useful. On the water bed in the sensory room at Slobostina!

9. Devising new coping strategies Being away from our families and our home comforts required us to come up with coping mechanisms to deal with stressful situations. Our room at Ravnice Youth Hostel (on a tidy day!) • The support of others, not to mention fruit and nut chocolate proved invaluable!

10. It encouraged us to reflect on our experiences and made us more aware of our own strengths and weaknesses We’d recommend keeping a journal. Not only can you use this for reflection, but also to record all the amazing experiences you have and the people you meet.

11. It has proven beneficial for our future practice The things we’ve learnt about ourselves, about building relationships and working with children with learning disabilities and autism have been incredibly valuable.

12. “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” If you have any questions (such as where to find the best cake shop!) please feel free to email either of us Joanne2.bailey@live.uwe.ac.uk Frances2.webster@live.uwe.ac.uk